Import Facility: Java Web Start now contains an import facility. This can be used for CD installs, where code is initially loaded from one location and then updated from another. It can also be used to pre-install applications and libraries in either the user or system cache without running the applications.

and

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VM arguments: A JNLP file can now request arbitrary arguments to the virtual machine. Previous JNLP applications could only use the initial-heap-size and max-heap-size arguments to the j2se element; now a java-vm-args argument has been added. Java Web Start will honor the requests for any normal java and -X arguments that it considers "safe". A list of all such arguments will be included with each release so that the JNLP Spec does not need to change.

The second reduces the number of things you can't do in JWS but could with the plain java command, and the first significently improves the ability to deploy JWS applications by other means and use JWS to keep the clients updated.

Another nice feature I like is this one:

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JNLP Cache Viewer: The JNLP Cache Viewer replaces the functionality of the Application Manager's "downloaded Applications" view. Now all applications, applets, libraries and installers are shown. Available applications can be launched online or offline, removed, or restored from the web. All JNLP files are now kept in the cache (even those without href parameters).

Significently the "offline" version which is useful in a game situation where you may want to hold off updating until the servers have first been updated (obviously for games with where the servers are controlled by individuals).

I still haven't quite managed to get my head around all the incredibly good stuff that's gone into 1.5. Almost everything I could wish for, in fact, apart from structs, 2-stage compile and font management And of those, 2-stage compile is the only thing I've been asking for for years.

Mmm. I notice it has yet again greatly increased in size yet 90% of all the new stuff is irrelevant to 90% of the users.

<edit>AAAaaaggh! Egads! I just 7zipped it up - its 16mb! J2SE1.4.2_03 was 9mb!!!!

Nooooooooo!!!!! That's just Too Much Overhead to be worth bothering with Now is the time to start complaining vociferously about the deployment licensing. We must be allowed to deliver the JRE in chunks!

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